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M77 Special Applications Scoped Rifle
The M77 Special Applications Scoped Rifle, also known as the Reaper, which was the name of the creator of the design, was, at the time of its introduction, the longest ranged handgun used by the UNSC. It is much more efficient than its advanced competitor, the M99 Stanchion series. Development For years, the M99 Stanchion, a long ranged sniper rifle in use with the UNSC since the early 2500's, was the standard issue rifle for missions of extremely long range. However, there were many problems with the M99. First, it is quite difficult to lug around, as it has a separate power source which is connected to the weapon by a wire. Second, the weapon's accuracy was often unreliable. It often missed the target the first time, and in assassination missions, one shot is all that you have. Thirdly, the power source can often overheat if not properly cooled, meaning the weapons often didn't work in temperatures above 88 degrees, Farenheit. All of these reasons put the Stanchion out of service by 2527. The concept of a gauss rifle wasn't considered again until 2560, when physicist John Reaper began talks with Misriah Armories to develop a new Gauss weapon system. Misriah was not interested however, and sent Reaper away. Twelve years later, Reaper returned, this time with evidence that his system would be much better than the M99's. This time, Misriah did like the design, and assigned workers to "build a rifle" around it. They completed this task in a quite chaotic two months, the product of which was the most advanced handheld rifle to date. The weapon was designated the M77 "Reaper" SASR after John Reaper. Operation Instead of using a small detonation to propel the round, the M77 uses a coilgun system to propel the round at extremely high speeds. Sets of small metal coils are wrapped around the barrel of the weapon, and as each coil is filled with an electrical current, it is magnetized, pulling the projectile to it. As the round is about to reach the first round, a second coil is hit with a stronger current, further accelerating the round. This continues until the round is shot out the barrel. The entire process is nearly instantaneous and accelerates the projectile to such a high speed that it makes for devastating results. Because of the high velocity, the bullet does not just puncture and kill the target Instead, it literally makes blows the person apart. This almost guarantees a kill every time a person is hit. However, a power source is needed to magnetize the coils when needed. Components Magazine The magazine of the M77 is not of a normal configuration. The magazine is inserted on the right side of the weapon. There is an indentation that is in fact identical in shape to the magazine, which is where it is inserted. The top of the magazine is where the individual rounds are inserted into the firing chamber. Advanced Digital Telescopic System The scope on the M77, known as the ADTS, is highly advanced compared to others of the time. The scope, produced by Blankenport Armories, is highly customizable. There are five optical zoom settings for the scope: 2x, 5x, 10x, 15x, and 20x. These allow for accurate shots from various ranges, which could be anywhere from 100 meters to over 5,000 meters. There are also a number of other features, including fully customizable crosshairs, a dimming/brightening device, an mode view, an infared mode, range display, time display, and a digital compass. The scope itself costs nearly 4,000 cR. If it was preferred, the operator of the weapon could instead use a scope listed here, though this happened very rarely. ''Note: The scope in the picture is not the ADTS, only a 2x scope.'' Power Source The power source used by the M77 Reaper is a much liked improvement over the M99's. The battery pack itself is a small rectangular prism attached under the fore end of the barrel. Using state-of-the-art technology, the battery puts out enough power to fire one round every fourteen seconds, otherwise the small battery would overheat. The battery pack recharges using a complex system in which friction-generated heat is transfered back into power. With this system, the M77 is able to fire six shots in one charge instead of five, though the recharging only makes up 20% of the power for the last shot. Since the battery pack is fairly small, additional packs can be carried on a utility belt, in a pouch on the uniform, or in a backpack much like explosive technicians often carry C12 plastic explosive in a backpack. Storage Compartment On the stock of the M77 is a small compartment which has multiple uses. There are a few standard uses for the compartment. *Ammunition - The compartment can store four spare magazines. *Power - The compartment can also store four additional battery packs. *Other - The compartment can also store dehydrated rations, personal items, etc. Production and Service The production of the M77 began in 2573 at a rate of, at the most, 250 rifles per year. In order to maintain quality, the Reaper has to be assembled completely by hand, something seldom performed by modern factories. The production halted due to lack of funds in 2585, but resumed two years later, but at a slower rate. The first M77 to be used was in 2576 when an ONI assassin used the weapon to kill a man suspected to be the leader of a small insurgency. The assassination went perfectly, and the killing blow was delt from a cliff that was over two kilometers away. Over the next four years, assassins and NAVSPECWAR servicemen used the M77 to take out over seventy-five members of the United Liberialists Group, a rebel faction operating out of the Darcyc System, a star system in the Outer Colonies both before and during the Darçyc System Campaign. After the campaign, the weapon started to become more popular, with over 1,000 soldiers using the M77 Reaper. Between 2585 and 2588, the M77 had scored an additional 150 kills, with the farthest distance of any of these recorded by Major James Corbett with an astounding kill from 5,603 meters away. SPARTAN-379 also reportedly hit a vehicle moving at 45 mph from over 1,000 meters. The weapon gained even more popularity at the turn of the Second Great War. Throughout the entire war, the M77 was the cause of over 5,000 kills. The production of the M77 ceased in 2611, but the weapon wasn't retired until 2623, when it replaced by its successor, the M78 Special Applications Scoped Rifle. Usage The M77 has been used in a variety of roles. The most popular use of the M77 is as an assassin's weapon, usually directly employed by ONI, but NAVSPECWAR servicemen and ODST's may also fill the role. Another use of the M77 Reaper is simply as a field sniper, usually harassing opposition from an elevated location. These operations are performed often by NAVSPECWAR operatives, ODST's, and sometimes by Marines, though they normally use the SRS99D-S2 AM Sniper Rifle or its new variant, the SRS99F-S2 AM, which was unveiled in 2581. Lastly, the M77 can be used by mobile combat forces, operating in ranges no longer than 150 meters, though this is often called "a waste of Tungsten" by those who fill the role. Remarks Trivia *The M77 Reaper was the preferred weapon of SPARTAN-379 and James Corbett when performing long-range assassinations. *The M77 was known to be well respected by Sangheili even though it is considered a primitive weapon system. *The exact kill count of the M77 was 7,304. Category: Halo: Infinity Category:UNSC Weapons